A paver driveway adds so much curb appeal and character to your home. It’s an investment you want to protect. Here’s why professional snow plowing increases the longevity of your paver driveway in Yorktown, NY.
There are two major forces that conspire to shorten the lifespan of your paver driveway: the freeze-thaw cycle and chemical de-icers.
As you know, the freeze-thaw cycle can wreak havoc on driveways. While damage is most evident on asphalt or poured concrete driveways, paver driveways can also be subject to heaving or shifting. Keeping a paver driveway cleared of snow will minimize the amount of water that seeps between the pavers and prevent ice from expanding the joints.
While most driveway pavers are resistant to staining or etching from chemical de-icers, you want to use as little as possible, not only to protect the driveway but to protect the adjacent landscape from being burned by excess salt or magnesium chloride. The only way to minimize the need for chemical de-icers is to keep the driveway clear of snow and ice.
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Those are great reasons to have your driveway professionally plowed. But why can’t you just work with anyone who has a plow attached to the front of their pickup truck?
You want to work with snow removal professionals for the following reasons.
Liability insurance: Your neighbor or buddy with a plow likely doesn’t carry liability insurance to protect you from accidental damage to your property. The Manzers team is fully insured, giving you peace of mind.
Dedication to your satisfaction: Our professional snow removal crew provides timely service to keep you and your family safe during the winter. Once you’re on the schedule, you’re a priority! We also take great care in protecting your personal property while we’re on the job.
While professional snow removal will extend the lifespan of your paver driveway, you can take a few steps to prepare your paver driveway for winter.
While concrete is strong and durable, repeated hits with a snowplow on highly textured pavers can cause chipping or scratching. If your driveway is highly textured and you are scheduling snow removal services over the phone, please let your snow removal professional know so that the crews can put on their work order to raise the plow slightly to avoid damaging the pavers, and/or to use snow plow equipment, snowblowers, or shovels with plastic blade covers. Also, ask your snow removal professional only to use rock salt de-icers and to avoid magnesium chloride and calcium chloride, which are aggressive de-icers that can permanently etch and stain concrete pavers.
If the jointing sand levels are low, then resweep joint sand into paver joints before the winter to help hold the pavers in place and allow for proper drainage. This will help minimize damage from the freeze-thaw cycle.
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If you have a driveway that is constantly iced over, one solution is to install heat cables underneath the pavers. While this is easier to do when the driveway is being installed, you can retrofit your driveway (or the shady/icy portion of it) at any time.
Use a sealant to protect your driveway pavers. It will protect against stains and surface damage, and it will also help ensure color retention and minimize freeze-thaw damage. Sealants need to be reapplied every 3-5 years.
Most of all, don’t wait to schedule snow removal! Waiting for winter’s first storms to schedule professional snow removal can result in delays. Set up a snow removal contract with Manzers before the snow arrives will ensure you’re always ready for whatever Mother Nature brings!